By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Wrestlers from various schools around the area took to the mats Saturday at the Highland Park Invitational for a showdown to kick off the 2022-2023 campaign.
City schools Hayden, Highland Park and Topeka High competed in Saturday's tournament and all three schools had reason to celebrate.
Hayden wrestling poses for a team picture after the Wildcats' second-place team finish in Saturday's Highland Park Invitational. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
De Soto recorded a first-place finish, with the Wildcats posting six first-place finishes and several other top-three finishes.
Hayden had the most success out of the city schools on Saturday, with the Wildcats finishing second as a team.
“I have high expectations for this team,” Hayden coach Jacob Torrez said. “I expect us to perform highly every time we come out. It went as well as expected. My football players just got back last week. We’ve only had a full week of practice with the whole team together. We have the drive and have a bunch of kids that want to win, get better and do what it takes to get better. They weren’t satisfied today.”
Hayden second with 72 points, winning two individual championships and having several other athletes finishing in the top three in their weight classes.
Caroline North took a first-place finish at 125 pounds on the girls' side and 165-pounder Jude Krentz won a gold medal on the boys' side.
Jamison Kennedy, Jimmy Longstaff, Elaina Wolff, Kylie Carswell, Natalie Hopper, Gabriel Benteman and Jacob Waldy all finished in the top three, contributing to Hayden’s runnerup showing.
Highland Park's Ruby Hernandez stands atop the victory stand after winning the 135-pound championship in Saturday's Highland Park Invitational. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Highland Park finished with a score of 66 points giving its team a third-place finish.
Kimberly Rodriguez, Myles Curry, Ruby Hernandez, Kylisha James and Adrian Burney took first-place finishes.
Three out of the five first-place finishers wrestled in the girls' division.
Topeka High took a fourth-place finish behind familiar 501 school Highland Park.
However, Topeka High wrestled well, especially in the boys' division, with Tyree English and Nick Davis recording first-place finishes.
Luis Morones, Terrance Dean, Jaxson Johnson and Cooper Martin all finished in the top three for the Trojans.
HIGHLAND PARK INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Team scored
De Soto 132.0, Hayden 72.0, Highland Park 66.0, Topeka High 40.0, St. Marys 29.0, Kansas City-Ward 25.0, Oskaloosa 19.0
Individual Results
105 girls – First place: Rodriguez, Highland Park, pinned Wolff, Hayden, 3:22.
106 boys – First place: Curry, Highland Park, dec. (7-2) over Dean Topeka High.
113 boys – First place: Cosgrove, De Soto, pinned Morones, Topeka High, 2:59.
120 boys – First place: English, Topeka High, pinned Creason, De Soto, 4:16.
125 girls – First place: North, Hayden, pinned Carswell, Hayden, 1:31.
126 boys – First place: Failer, St. Marys dec. (4-0) over Handy, De Soto.
132 boys – First place: Rocha, Bishop Ward, pinned Jones, De Soto, 0:35.
135 girls – First place: Hernandez, Highland Park, pinned Brunheide, Hayden, 0:17.
138 boys – First place: Bowlin, De Soto, pinned Benteman, Hayden, 0:30.
144 boys – First place: Wilson, St. Marys, pinned Warbritton, Oskaloosa, 1:38.
145 girls – First place: Arevelo, Bishop Ward, pinned Sanchez, Bishop Ward, 1:17.
150 boys – First place: VanBooven, De Soto, dec. (4-0) over Wialliamson, Topeka High.
157 boys – First place: Davis, Topeka High, pinned Chambers, Bishop Ward, 2:20.
165 boys – First place: Krentz, Hayden, pinned Roy, De Soto, 0:33.
170 girls – First place: James, Highland Park, pinned McNemee, De Soto, 5:00.
175 boys – First place: Burney, Highland Park, pinned Peak, Oskaloosa, 0:25.
215 boys – First place: Torline, De Soto, over Duncan, De Soto, 4-0 (NC).
235 girls – First place: Chaney, De Soto, pinned Freeman, St. Marys, 1:22.
285 boys – First place: Sweeney, De Soto, pinned Longstaff, Hayden, 3:18.
